Davao del Norte run hypes up Palaro

MANILA, Philippines - More than 3,000 runners took part in last Sunday’s advocacy run that served as part of a series of activities aimed at guaranteeing a successful staging of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa in Davao del Norte this summer.

Organized by the Tagum City Division of the Department of Education (DepEd), the participants helped raise additional funds for competition-day maintenance of the billeting venues especially for the water requirement of student athletes and officials during the May 3 to 9 Palaro.

“The schools [officials] are busy preparing the billeting sites so we can have a very good hosting and give delegates the best accommodation that we can offer,” Tagum City DepEd Division head Cristy Epe said.

The runners covered various distances during the event that started and ended at the Rotary Park at the heart of Tagum City. Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon led the run and joined his family and friends and local government officials as well as police and military officers and personnel in the run.

At least 30 billeting facilities have been harnessed for the Palaro which is expected to gather more than 10,000 athletes and officials competing in 17 sports in the annual grassroots sports development program supervised by the DepEd.

Also on the pre-Palaro program prepared by del Rosario are the official website and games launch set later this week and dry runs for the various events in the competition venues.

It will be the first time in Palaro history that the competition venues will be confined within city limits of the Davao del Norte Sports Complex. Most of the billeting facilities are also within walking distance to the complex with the farthest needing a mere 30-minute bus ride.